Crochet Cherry Keychain: A Beautiful Little Charm, 25 Steps
This crochet cherry keychain is a pair of small stuffed cherries on a green stem, finished with a leaf and a pink bow. It is worked with a 2.0 mm hook and DK yarn, so the stitches come out tight and the cherries keep their shape. You get every round below with a photo for each stage: a round cherry built from a magic circle, a heart-shaped option, a stem that joins the two, a leaf and a bow.
Below the steps you get a stitch count for every round that we worked out ourselves, the places a crochet cherry keychain goes wrong, how to turn the charm into a keychain, a small-parts note, and five more free cherry patterns to compare. Where the numbers do not add up, we say so and show our arithmetic.
The correction up front: for the round cherry, skip round 12 and go straight from round 11 to round 13. The design’s own notes say so, and the arithmetic agrees: round 12 asks for 3 single crochet and a decrease, a group of 5 stitches, and 24 does not divide by 5. The cards also never show a round 5, and the design prints no finished size, no yardage and no gauge.
- Crochet Cherry Keychain at a Glance
- What You Need for This Crochet Cherry Keychain
- Crochet Cherry Keychain: Step by Step
- Crochet Cherry Keychain Stitch Counts by Round
- Turning the Charm into a Crochet Cherry Keychain
- Where a Crochet Cherry Keychain Goes Wrong
- Crochet Cherry Keychain Safety: Small Parts
- Five More Free Cherry Patterns
- Crochet Cherry Keychain FAQ
- Where to Go Next
Crochet Cherry Keychain at a Glance
The crochet cherry keychain is made of five parts: two cherries, a stem chain that joins them, a leaf and a bow. The round cherry is worked in a spiral from a magic circle, stuffed and closed with the tail. The heart option is two small circles joined into one piece. You make two of whichever you choose.
| Part | What you work | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Round cherry, rounds 1 to 4 | Single crochet from a magic circle with increases | 6, 12, 18, 24 |
| Round cherry, rounds 6 to 11 | 1 single crochet in each stitch, six rounds | 24 each round |
| Round cherry, rounds 13 to 15 | Decreases, with stuffing before round 14 | 18, 12, 6 |
| Heart option | Two circles of 18, joined into 36, then decreases | 36 down to 6 |
| Stem | A chain of 85 slip stitched into the second cherry | 85 chain |
| Leaf | A chain of 20 worked down both sides in four sections | 20 chain |
| Bow | A chain of 71 slip stitched back along itself | 70 slip stitches |
The numbers behind it: by our count one round cherry holds 240 stitches (6 + 12 + 18 + 24, six plain rounds of 24, then 18 + 12 + 6), and a heart-shaped cherry holds 294. A pair of round cherries is 480 stitches, so it is slow, fiddly work.
What You Need for This Crochet Cherry Keychain
The design uses a very short kit: three colours of DK yarn, a 2.0 mm hook, a darning needle, scissors, stuffing and, if you like, a stitch marker. Red is for the cherries, green for the stem and leaf, and pink for the bow.
| Item | What to use |
|---|---|
| Yarn | Weight 3 (DK) yarn in red, green and pink |
| Hook | 2.0 mm; a 3.5 mm hook helps for pulling the stem through the leaf |
| Tools | Darning needle, scissors, stitch marker (optional) |
| Stuffing | Polyester fibre fill |
| Yardage | Not printed in the design; see the note below |
| Skill level | Beginner friendly: chains, single crochet, increases and decreases, plus a few taller stitches for the leaf |
How much to buy: the design gives no yardage, and we will not guess one. For comparison, the Red Heart cherry charm prints one skein each of red and green worsted yarn, and the Lilleliis cherry brooch prints a 50 g ball of 125 m cotton. Buy a ball of each colour and keep the labels so you can match the dye lot.
Hook and yarn: a DK yarn is category 3 at the Craft Yarn Council, which lists a 4.5 to 5.5 mm hook for it. A 2.0 mm hook is 2.5 mm below that floor. That is deliberate: a tight fabric hides the stuffing. If you use a hook closer to the label, the cherries come out larger and the stuffing shows between stitches.
Stitches and abbreviations
Crochet has two naming conventions, so here are both. The round cherry uses only the first four rows; the leaf uses the rest.
| Abbreviation | Name used here | Other naming convention |
|---|---|---|
| ch | Chain | Chain |
| sl st | Slip stitch | Slip stitch |
| sc | Single crochet | Double crochet |
| inc | Increase: 2 sc in one stitch | 2 double crochet in one stitch |
| dec | Decrease: 2 stitches worked together | Same |
| hdc | Half double crochet | Half treble crochet |
| dc | Double crochet | Treble crochet |
| tr | Treble crochet: yarn over twice | Double treble crochet |
A blanket is chained to a stitch multiple, but this crochet cherry keychain has none: the round cherry starts from a magic circle, so every later count comes from the round before it. In place of a multiple you get repeats such as (1 sc, inc) six times, and they divide exactly: 12 stitches by 2, 18 by 3 and 24 by 4.
Crochet Cherry Keychain: Step by Step
Work the round cherry in a spiral, with a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round instead of slip stitching at the end. Steps 1 to 12 make one round cherry, step 13 reminds you to make two, steps 14 to 17 show the heart-shaped option, and steps 18 to 25 join the cherries and add the leaf and bow.
Step 1: Gather the yarn and the 2.0 mm hook
Lay out DK yarn in red, green and pink, a 2.0 mm hook, a darning needle, scissors, stuffing and a stitch marker. Everything for the crochet cherry keychain fits in one small pile.
Step 2: Round 1: magic circle and 6 single crochet
Make a magic circle with the red yarn, chain 1 and work 6 sc into the circle. Pull the tail to close it. Put a stitch marker in the first stitch.
Step 3: Round 2: 2 single crochet in each stitch
Chain 1, then work 2 sc in every stitch around. That is called an increase. Round 2 has 12 stitches.
Step 4: Round 3: 1 single crochet, then an increase
Work 1 sc in the first stitch and an increase in the next, and repeat to the end of the round. Round 3 has 18 stitches.
Step 5: Round 4: 1 single crochet, an increase, 1 single crochet
Work 1 sc, an increase, 1 sc, and repeat six times. Round 4 has 24 stitches. The increases are offset on purpose, because stacking them over each other makes the ball look boxy.
Step 6: Rounds 6 to 11: 1 single crochet in each stitch
Now stop shaping. Work 1 sc in each stitch for six rounds. There are no increases or decreases here, so keep the marker in the first stitch of each round. The cherry grows into a bowl.
Step 7: Round 13: 1 single crochet, a decrease, 1 single crochet
Skip round 12. Work (1 sc, dec, 1 sc) six times. Round 13 has 18 stitches. Decreasing in the middle of each group offsets the decreases, which keeps the ball round.
Step 8: Stuff the cherry lightly
Add stuffing now, packing it towards the bottom. If you fill it right to the top, the stuffing catches on the hook in the next rounds. Two rounds remain, so add more later if you need it.
Step 9: Round 14: 1 single crochet, a decrease
Work (1 sc, dec) six times. Round 14 has 12 stitches.
Step 10: Round 15: six decreases
Check the stuffing, then decrease six times around to leave 6 stitches. Cut the yarn and leave a long tail, because it closes the top.
Step 11: Close the top with the tail
Thread the tail onto a darning needle and go over and under each of the last stitches. Pull tight and the hole closes. This is also the top of the cherry, so keep it neat.
Step 12: Hide the tail
Push the needle into a random spot inside the cherry and pull the yarn through. Cut it close, and the end disappears into the stuffing.
Step 13: Make a second cherry
Repeat steps 2 to 12 for the second cherry, so your crochet cherry keychain has a pair. If you prefer the heart-shaped version, make two of those instead, or one of each.
Step 14: Heart option: two circles
Use red yarn and the 2.0 mm hook. Round 1 is a magic ring with 6 sc, round 2 is an increase in every stitch (12), and round 3 is (1 sc, inc) six times (18). Make two circles. Fasten off the first one, but leave the second on the hook.
Step 15: Heart option: join the circles into 36 stitches
Slip stitch into the first stitch of the circle you fastened off, chain 1, then work 18 sc around the first circle and 18 sc around the second. Round 4 has 36 stitches. A small gap sits between the two circles, and you sew it up later. Round 5 is 1 sc in each stitch (36).
Step 16: Heart option: decrease to a point
Round 6 is (2 sc, dec, 2 sc) six times (30). Round 7 is 30 plain stitches. Round 8 is (3 sc, dec) six times (24). Round 9 is (2 sc, dec) six times (18). Round 10 is 18 plain stitches, and now you stuff. Round 11 is (1 sc, dec) six times (12), round 12 is 12 plain stitches, and round 13 is six decreases (6).
Step 17: Heart option: close the bottom and sew the top
Close the bottom with the tail like the round cherry. Then stick the needle up beside the little gap at the top and sew back and forth from side to side until it closes. Push the needle through anywhere to secure it.
Step 18: Stem: chain 85 and join the second cherry
Attach the green yarn with a slip knot at the centre stitch of the first cherry. On a heart, that is between the two bumps. Chain 85, then slip stitch into the centre stitch of the second cherry. The length is up to you: shorter for a bag, longer for a car mirror.
Step 19: Fasten off and hide the green ends
Fasten off the green yarn, chain 1 and pull the yarn through to secure it. Push the green ends inside each cherry and trim them.
Step 20: Leaf: chain 20 and work the first sections
Make a slip knot and chain 20. In the second chain from the hook work 1 sc, 1 hdc and 1 dc, then 1 tr in each of the next 3 chains, then 1 dc, 1 hdc and 1 sc. Slip stitch in the next chain, then work the same sequence again.
Step 21: Leaf: flip, work the other side and finish
Turn the work and, in the same chain where you made the last stitch, work 1 sc. Then repeat the sequence down the other side, with a slip stitch between the sections. Slip stitch into the first sc, fasten off and hide the tail.
Step 22: Attach the leaf to the stem
Go to the slip stitch at the middle of the stem and lift its loops with your hook. Fold the leaf and pull the hook up to widen the space, then work the stem chain through the leaf’s centre. A 3.5 mm hook makes this easier.
Step 23: Bow: chain 71 and slip stitch back along it
With the pink yarn, chain 71. Slip stitch into the second chain from the hook and into every chain after it, which makes 70 slip stitches and a thick cord. Fasten off and hide the tail.
Step 24: Tie the bow
Fold the cord into two loops like bunny ears and adjust, without pulling too tight in case you want to redo it. Keep the top loops long and the tails a bit shorter.
Step 25: Attach the bow
Put the needle through the back of the bow, choosing the messier side, and into one of the little loops. Pull the stem chain through slowly so the bow does not come undone. Your cherries are done.
Crochet Cherry Keychain Stitch Counts by Round
The design prints the repeats and most totals, and we added the rest. A repeat of 1 sc, an increase and 1 sc takes 3 stitches and makes 4, which is why 24 divides by 4. A repeat of (1 sc, dec, 1 sc) takes 4 stitches and makes 3, and 24 divides by 4 as well.
| Round | Repeat | Repeats | Stitches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic circle with 6 sc | 1 | 6 |
| 2 | Increase in each stitch | 6 | 12 |
| 3 | 1 sc, increase | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | 1 sc, increase, 1 sc | 6 | 24 |
| 6 to 11 | 1 sc in each stitch | 24 | 24 |
| 13 | 1 sc, decrease, 1 sc | 6 | 18 |
| 14 | 1 sc, decrease | 6 | 12 |
| 15 | Decrease | 6 | 6 |
Adding the rounds gives 6 + 12 + 18 + 24 = 60 for the first four, then six plain rounds of 24 = 144, then 18 + 12 + 6 = 36. That makes 240 stitches for one round cherry and 480 for a pair. Your own cherry may be a stitch or two off, so count at the end of rounds 4, 11 and 13 and carry on from your number.
Heart-shaped crochet cherry keychain stitch counts
| Round | Repeat | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3, each circle | 6 in the circle, increase in each, then 1 sc and an increase | 6, 12, 18 |
| 4 | 18 sc around each circle | 36 |
| 5 | 1 sc in each stitch | 36 |
| 6 | 2 sc, decrease, 2 sc | 30 |
| 7 | 1 sc in each stitch | 30 |
| 8 | 3 sc, decrease | 24 |
| 9 | 2 sc, decrease | 18 |
| 10 | 1 sc in each stitch | 18 |
| 11 | 1 sc, decrease | 12 |
| 12 | 1 sc in each stitch | 12 |
| 13 | Decrease | 6 |
Two circles of 36 stitches (6 + 12 + 18 each) make 72, and the rounds after the join add 36 + 36 + 30 + 30 + 24 + 18 + 18 + 12 + 12 + 6 = 222. That is 294 stitches for one heart, so a heart is about a fifth more work than a round cherry. Round 6 only works if you do it six times: (2 sc, dec, 2 sc) takes 6 stitches and makes 5, and 36 divided by 6 is 6.
Turning the Charm into a Crochet Cherry Keychain
The design is a car and bag charm, and the 85-chain stem is a loop long enough to go round a rear view mirror. For a crochet cherry keychain you want a shorter loop with a ring on it. The design says the chain length is up to you, and that is all it prints, so everything below is our own suggestion and untested.
| Use | Stem chain | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Car mirror charm | 85 | As printed in the design |
| Bag charm | Shorter than 85; choose by eye | The design says the length is up to you |
| Keychain | Our idea: about half, then a split ring or lobster clasp through the loop | Ours, untested |
Two free patterns point the same way. Made by Vick joins its cherries with a chain of 20, passes a key ring through that chain, and adds a leaf on each side. Dandy Bee Makes uses a 40-chain cord for its stem. Either gives you a starting length to try, and you can always cut a stem shorter before you hide the ends.
Slip the ring through the middle of the stem of your crochet cherry keychain, where the leaf sits, so the weight hangs from the two cherries evenly. Keys are heavy, so work the ring through the stem chain itself and not through a single stitch of a cherry.
Where a Crochet Cherry Keychain Goes Wrong
Four things go wrong most often with this cherry, and all four show before the stem goes on.
Round 12 is a trap
The round 12 card says 3 sc then a decrease, and it promises 24 stitches at the end. That does not work on 24: each group uses 5 stitches of the round, and 24 is not a multiple of 5. The design’s notes say to skip round 12 and go to round 13, and the counts agree, since 24 becomes 18 in round 13 with (1 sc, dec, 1 sc) six times.
The rounds are numbered with a gap
The cards run from round 4 to rounds 6 to 11, so there is no round 5. We followed the cards: six plain rounds. If your cherry looks shorter than it is wide before you start decreasing, add one more plain round, because that is probably the round 5 that was never written down.
The stuffing shows through
A 2.0 mm hook on DK yarn makes a tight fabric, which is why the crochet cherry keychain keeps its shape. If you use a bigger hook, the fabric opens up and the white stuffing shows between the stitches. Stay with the small hook, or switch to a darker, denser yarn.
The stem is too tight on the leaf
Pulling the stem chain through the leaf’s centre is the fiddliest step. The design suggests a 3.5 mm hook for it, and says to fold the leaf and tug the loops wider first.
Crochet Cherry Keychain Safety: Small Parts
A crochet cherry keychain is a small item that looks like a toy, so think about who gets it. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says its small parts rule covers products intended for children under three, and that a small part is one that fits completely into a cylinder the size of a young child’s throat. The 1995 Federal Register notice gives that cylinder as 1.25 in (31.7 mm) across and 1 to 2.25 in (25.4 to 57.1 mm) deep.
The design prints no finished size, so measure your own: any cherry that fits entirely inside a cylinder of that size is a small part, however well it is stitched. Our judgement is that a crochet cherry keychain should be treated that way. Do not give one to a child under three, and do not add safety eyes, beads or buttons to it. A heart gap that is sewn shut and stuffing that stays inside are the minimum for anything that goes in a bag for an older child.
Five More Free Cherry Patterns
Here are five other free cherry patterns that we read, for a different size, a different yarn or a flat applique. For each one we list only what the page prints, and say which numbers are missing.
| Pattern | Shape | Hook | Yarn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kawaii Cherry Brooch (Lilleliis) | Sphere of 16 stitches around a 15 mm wooden bead | 2.5 mm | Scheepjes Catona or Schachenmayr Catania, 50 g / 125 m |
| Cheery Cherry Amigurumi (Dandy Bee Makes) | Sphere of 24 stitches, about 3.5 in tall, with 6 mm safety eyes | 3.5 mm, 3.75 mm for the stem | Worsted, red and green |
| Cherry Bag Charm (Made by Vick) | Sphere of 18 stitches, no eyes, key ring through a chain of 20 | 4 mm or less, as printed | DK, red and green |
| Cherry Applique (The Caffeinated Snail) | Flat disc of 24 stitches, 4 to 5 in overall | 4 mm | Red Heart #4, Hot Red and Medium Thyme |
| Sweet Cherries Bag Charm (Red Heart) | About 4 in (10 cm) tall with stems; no rounds on the page | 5 mm in the list, 3.25 mm in the image text | Red Heart Super Saver, Hot Red and Tea Leaf |
What the five pages leave out: none of them prints a yardage, none prints a gauge, and only one prints a finished size in both inches and centimetres. Their spheres run from 16 to 24 stitches at the widest round, and their hooks from 2.5 to 5 mm. The Red Heart page disagrees with itself on the hook: its list says H/8 (5 mm) but its image text says D/3 (3.25 mm). Trust the written list only after you check your own stitches.
More small makes on our site: the free crochet bag patterns for a bag to hang it from, the free crochet shoulder bag pattern and the free crochet owl pattern.
Crochet Cherry Keychain FAQ
What hook and yarn do I need for a crochet cherry keychain?
This crochet cherry keychain uses a 2.0 mm hook and DK yarn in red, green and pink. The design prints no yardage, so buy one ball of each colour and keep the labels.
How many stitches does a crochet cherry keychain cherry have?
By our count a round cherry has 240 stitches and a heart-shaped one has 294. The round cherry runs 6, 12, 18 and 24, then six plain rounds of 24, then 18, 12 and 6.
Why do I skip round 12 on the crochet cherry keychain?
For this crochet cherry keychain the design’s own notes say to skip it. The round 12 card asks for groups of 5 stitches on a round of 24, which does not divide, and round 13 already takes 24 down to 18.
How long should the stem of a crochet cherry keychain be?
The design uses a chain of 85 for a car mirror and says the length is up to you. For a keychain we would try about half, with a split ring through the loop, but that is our own idea and untested.
Can I make a crochet cherry keychain with a heart-shaped cherry?
Yes. Make two circles of 18 stitches, join them into 36, decrease down to 6 over rounds 6 to 13, stuff, and sew the top gap shut. The stem, leaf and bow are the same.
Is a crochet cherry keychain safe for a child?
Not for a child under three. The Consumer Product Safety Commission calls a part small if it fits completely inside a cylinder 1.25 in (31.7 mm) across, and a keychain cherry usually will. Leave off beads and safety eyes either way.
Where to Go Next
Once the first crochet cherry keychain is done, make a few in different shades for your bag, your keys and your car. A free crochet shoulder bag gives the charm somewhere to hang, and the free crochet bag patterns list has more. You can also browse every free pattern on the site.
Sources
- Lilleliis, Crochet Kawaii Cherry Brooch
- Dandy Bee Makes, Cheery Cherry Amigurumi
- Made by Vick, Crochet Bag Charms: 3 Free Patterns
- The Caffeinated Snail, Crochet Cherry Applique Pattern
- Red Heart, Sweet Cherries Crochet Bag Charm
- Craft Yarn Council, yarn weight system
- Consumer Product Safety Commission, small parts FAQ
- Federal Register, 27 February 1995, small parts cylinder
Pattern credit: the cherry car and bag charm design in this guide is by Carla C. Find more of their work on the YouTube channel Carla C.
